Rami Makhlouf and Suhail al-Hassan form 150,000-strong "Elite Forces" in Syria

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: Makhlouf announced on Sunday night in a message published on a Facebook account attributed to him that the purpose of forming these forces is to protect the people of the "coastal region" of Syria, not revenge. Referring to the government's inability to protect residents of the Syrian coast from "massacres, murders, kidnappings, and captivity," he called on the Syrian rebel government to cooperate in "protecting the country."

 

In the message, which was still published under the former Syrian flag, Makhlouf announced the formation of a division of 150,000 special forces, as well as a reserve force of the same number, and announced that he was creating popular committees with about a million members. He clarified that these organizations were created in cooperation with Suhail al-Hassan.

 

Makhlouf also declared his opposition to “any agreement” to resume his businesses before the people of the “coastal region live in dignity and peace” and called on the international community, especially “friends in Russia,” to support the “coastal region of Syria.”

 

Saying that “we place all our economic, military and people’s resources under the supervision of the international community,” Bashar al-Assad’s cousin called on his friends to contact the rebel government in Damascus to find ways to find a mechanism for joint cooperation.